Portrait of Takashi
by Shinimegami 2.0
Summary: Love takes time to bloom. . .and when it does, it's blossoms are found by the sweetest of lovers. Eventual IY crossover. MorixHaru This story will be updated weekly as of Sept 28, 2010
1. Rough Sketch

SS- Oh my god, I have a**_nother_** story? What the hell is wrong with me?

Kali- We'd like to apologize to anyone who's been reading our other stories, but the master plans have been lost. Take Broken for example: Shini had nearly every chapter written out, ready to be typed at the end of the last school year, and what does she do?

SS- :small voice: I forgot them in a classroom overnight, and they got trashed. However, this is not the case anymore. Triple Goddess Productions© would like to present!. . .

Athene- Our very first Ouran Host Club story! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all its characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, not me.

WARNINGS: Eh, not much really. Slight WAFF, a bit of implied yaoi. You don't like, you don't need to read.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

She didn't know how this fascination with lines and shapes had started. She didn't know how she could detail every shadow on a rose, or how she could blend the perfect colors to give a single flickering candle flame so much purity against such absolute darkness. She didn't know how she was able to do an exceptionally beautiful portrait from one memory of a chance meeting.

Haruhi did know that she was grateful for it.

It wasn't often that she was able to work, what with her duties to the Host Club. When she did have some time at school, she made sure that the only things her fellow members were allowed to see were the carefully planned out terrible doodles that she drew to draw their focus away from her talents. They already thought that anything she did was divine. If they saw this they would be awestruck. Kyoya would probably try to sell them as a Club thing, and Haruhi didn't want that, didn't want everyone to know about her work.

That's not to say that Haruhi didn't want to sell anything; on the contrary, she actually did portraits of her regular customers, or did on the spot sketches of the males in the Host Club, for a reasonable price. She simply didn't want to become even more of a novelty than she already was. She often went to a customer's house on Sunday, and became better friends with them through the little things she learned while there.

Like the fact that Miss Sakurazawa adored songbirds. She had three separate aviaries/greenhouses in which fifty species of birds lived in a miniature version of their natural environment. Haruhi had presented her classmate with three small watercolors done from memory, as a birthday present.

Miss Kuragano enjoyed classic Western literature. Haruhi had seen shelves dedicated to Shakespeare, Homer, and compilations of Greek and Roman mythology in the young woman's bedroom. An oil canvas addressed to Miss Kuragano had appeared in the Host Club room, depicting the girl as Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon and hunt, surrounded by her handmaidens. It had shown up a mere week after her break-up with her boyfriend of three years.

And then there was the precious little Miss Kirimi, Umehito Nekozawa's little sister. It had started out as Haruhi's secret project to rid the child of her fear of cats. It had taken a month, working diligently after school and on weekends, to get the little girl acclimatized to feline presence without screaming, running away, or crying. A month later, and little Kirimi was happily playing with the new kittens.

The Host Club knew that Haruhi was doing something secretive, but her customers were wonderful about keeping their "business transactions" under wraps. Interest had died down, until Nekozawa began making a regular appearance for a slice of Haruhi's time. Tamaki had been the most fervent out of all of them to discover why she spent a good deal of time with the strange young man. It took a great deal of time and effort to convince him that his theory of Nekozawa knowing Haruhi was a girl was way off base.

Never mind the fact that it was completely true, but Tamaki really didn't need to know. Really.

Umehito was only one of two other people at Ouran— aside from the Host Club members— who knew that she was really a girl. He didn't seem to mind, and he had once actually offered to pay her remaining debt, back before the affair at the school festival.

However, this story is digressing.

It's true that Haruhi did requests, but she kept her more fantastic work to herself. They were pictures and sketches of what she thought people really wanted from someone, or just drawings that she couldn't bear to part with.

Hunny sleeping in a fetal position, Bun-bun tucked up underneath his chin.

Hikaru giving Kaoru directions on a video game, watching with his head on his brother's shoulder.

Kyoya engaged in a heated kiss with Tamaki. It was an event that had never actually occurred, yet she could tell from the way they acted that it was something they wanted. In truth, the glint that Kyoya would get might mean that he wanted to do more than just kiss the Host Club king, but that was a little more than Haruhi was inclined to imagine at this point in time.

The pictures that Haruhi treasured above all else were those of the ever-stoic Takashi Morinozuka. It was drawing him that allowed her to get down to the very last detail. She spent hours studying him, trying to get every last nuance of his features perfect. Now, even while others were wondering about his robotic qualities, she at least had some thought as to what he felt. Although, her studies of him had brought her a little trouble.

She had developed a crush on him.

It was nothing drastic. A blush or two here, a stammer there. She made sure that no-one knew of her affection; she wasn't like most girls, she kept her feelings secret. It would present a problem if her infatuation affected her duties at the Host Club. After all, it wasn't like they would be able to act like a couple, even if he did like her.

At the moment, she was in Music Room 3, drawing (somewhat guiltily) the sleeping figures of the Host Club. She had slipped tasteless sleeping pills into their coffee. They'd be out of it for at least eight hours, giving her enough time to get charcoal sketches of all of them.

She didn't even need to pose them! They had all gravitated into position, as if telepathy really did work. Hikaru and Kaoru were on the floor, heads cushioned on their arms, creating wonderful, natural symmetry. Kyoya was reclining on the couch with Tamaki snoring gently into his chest. Hunny sat at the table, head tilted back, a smudge of cream on the corner of his mouth.

And then there was her dear Takashi, alone as usual. Didn't matter, because he was set up against the window, which made for a great background. He looked so peaceful, so open in his sleep. It was different from when he was awake. He hid everything when awake, and it was a rare occasion when he smiled. He was extremely attractive when he did.

Minutes passed, turning into hours as Haruhi worked on. Her pencils created long sure strokes of black on the ivory pages. Only a few details, and she would be finished with Takashi. There! She placed her sketchpad inside her binder, safely out of sight of the other members. Wouldn't do to have her hard work discovered by the boys. Goddess only knew what the Ohtori staff would do to her if they ever found out that Kyoya was being drugged and sketched on a semi-regular basis...

Haruhi pushed that thought to the back of her mind with a yawn. Her father was out of town on business for the next two weeks, and she knew for a fact that the boys' parents only did cursory checks every month or so. Maybe she could spare time for a brief nap, only an hour so that she could wake up the others and tell them to go home. Setting the timer on the watch her dad had given her last Christmas, she curled up on the divan and was asleep once her head touched the pillowed arm.

TBC

SS- Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Flames, however, will be used to roast marshmallows, and heat milk for hot chocolate.


	2. Lines

SS- Oh, man.

Kali- What?

SS- :grins: I've another chapter for the people! Holla!! Thank you to **flameblessed**, **knifebladenails**, and **TooSweet4Words** for reviewing. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all affiliated characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, no matter how much I may wish otherwise.

WARNING: Strong hinting towards yaoi in the beginning, so those who don't like it, really don't need to read it. Some WAFF-ish behavior as well.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

Something was on Kyoya's chest. His chocolate brown eyes opened lazily and smirked at the sight before him. Something large, blond, and incredibly adorable was sleeping on Kyoya's chest, with a raging erection pressed into Kyoya's thigh. The shadow king sighed lightly, knowing that Tamaki was most likely dreaming of Haruhi and would never accept his best friend's affection. His ears pricked up at the murmuring that accompanied a low moan.

"Kyoya...harder! Please!"

Hm. Maybe it wasn't as hopeless as Kyoya believed. Resting his hands on the swell of the ass above him, Kyoya fell asleep once more, plotting out ways to jump Tamaki without seeming like a complete boor. His beautiful king would get everything that he dreamed of...and more.

An annoying sound pierced Haruhi's poor ears. She bolted up on the couch, slapping at her wrist. The noise stopped. Looking around blearily, she tried to remember what the hell she was doing at school at ten-thirty at night. Why were the boys all asleep? And...was that Kyoya? Smiling? With Tamaki on top of him? The first-year chuckled silently, taking out a small camera to capture the precious sight when she remembered what she had done.

Shrugging, Haruhi pocketed the camera, happy with the pictures. They would go excellently with her 'A Quiet Love' collection. She decided to make some tea and warm some of those little éclairs by Hunny. She felt a little hungry having worked through dinner. Would tomorrow be Sunday? She couldn't remember, but she thought it was. Maybe she would go visit Umehito and Kirimi. She hadn't seen the little girl in nearly two weeks, and she remembered that Umehito said that his parents wanted to talk to her as well. Wow.

The teakettle was whistling cheerily; Haruhi hastened to take it off the burner, hoping that no-one had woken. She glanced around, sighing in relief when she found them all still snoozing. Good gracious, she was beginning to believe that those boys could sleep through kamikaze storm! Which actually gave her an idea for a painting that Miss Renge had commissioned her to do, involving that Kings' Hearts game, or whatever it was. Kingdom Hearts, that's it!

She mulled over this new angle while her peppermint tea steeped. She would have to see images of the game characters, because the fan-girl wanted the guys to have the characters clothes, but it might work. They'd all be sleeping on a boat, floating in the calm blue waters with dolphins gamboling about. Haruhi was tempted to stage little pairings, but decided that she'd rather not mess with fate. Miss Renge had been placed in the strictest confidence, but the girl was a notorious gossip, and gossips always slipped up at some point.

It was peaceful in a way, just sitting here and looking out over her sleeping boys fondly. Was this what it felt like to be a mother? It was a good feeling. Granted, most parents wouldn't drug their children for the sake of art, but Haruhi had never been accepting of being grouped with 'most anyone'. She was content in knowing that there wasn't anyone else quite like her out there.

Haruhi enjoyed reading American literature and listening to rock, from the classic U2 and Green Day, to the newer My Chemical Romance and Panic! at the Disco. She listened to some strange music, but it was always good! Not always tasteful, and certainly not anything that Tamaki thought she should listen to, but that was her in a nutshell. She really enjoyed those guys from that "blue collar comedy" show, especially Ron White, but it was Lewis Black who made her laugh the most. That man was wonderfully sarcastic, and most of his jokes had an uncanny sense of accuracy. . .

Hanging around Hunny had given her a sweet tooth she'd never had before. Oh, she didn't exist on the contemptible things the way the bubbly third-year did, but she didn't find herself turning them down when offered. She had turned away from the éclairs in favor of a chicken salad sandwich, to be followed by a canolli. She'd become hooked on them after something Kaoru had said. She couldn't remember what, but it was something that he'd said about something or other.

Thinking of the younger twin, she turned at the sound emanating from that direction. The immaculately dressed young man was sitting up and rubbing his eyes blearily. To Haruhi's amusement, Kaoru yawned, much like a cat after a nap, and laid his head on his brother's stomach. It was extremely comfortable.

That is, comfortable until he realized that Haruhi was snickering from behind him. He didn't realize why she was so amused; he and Hikaru were quite affectionate with each other, even after Host Club was done for the day. Especially after Host Club was done for the day. No shows to perform for anybody but themselves, or Haruhi, if she would just ask, but that was all beside the point. The point was that. . .what was his point? Better sleep on it.

Haruhi observed in bemused fascination as Kaoru looked back at her blearily, then snuggled back into his twin's abdomen. Next to Kyoya and Tamaki, the twins were her favorite platonic interest. She'd just. . .taken to them. They were interesting to be around, and she knew that she had become somewhat of a plaything for them. Plus there was the added bonus of driving Tamaki crazy simply by being in the same class as them. And they were as sweet as hell when they wanted to be.

Haruhi's cell phone (given to her by the twins) vibrated, causing her to squeak. She took it out and saw that it was a text message from Umehito. It simply read, 'You coming tomorrow?'. . . What was tomorrow? Sunday? Quickly she typed back, 'Yeah. Kasonoda-kun and Tetsuya-kun will be there, right?' and sent it off. A cursory check at the time let her know that it was indeed time to wake the boys up and send them home, but who to wake up first? Hunny was dangerous to wake up, as were Kyoya and Hikaru, but Kyoya was in a precarious position, one that the twins would no doubt try to exploit if they woke up before him. Yes, it would _have_ to be Kyoya.

And as she moved about to wake the terrifying shadow king, Haruhi had no clue that she was being watched.

SS- Same deal as always, ladies and gents. Review and you shall warm the cockles of my heart. Flames will be used to make hot chocolate. Yum.


	3. Shape

SS- Yea! The countdown to spring break begins. . .NOW!!! I have four more days until the glorious days of freedom from the oppressive regime known as 'high school'.

Athene- Don't mind her. She's just bitter because all of her teachers this year are prissy, drama queens.

SS- Oh, man! If anyone out there used to go to Point Loma, or still does go to Point Loma, I am totally talking about Mr. Z!

Kali- Quit your bitchin'! On with the show!

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all affiliated characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, no matter how much I may wish otherwise.

WARNING: Meh. I really can't think of anything for this chapter. Takashi-sempai may be a little out of character, but it's just his thoughts and opinions.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

Takashi had been awake for hours, since the drugged tea had first begun to affect the others. He hadn't had anything to drink, but figured it would be interesting to found out who was the culprit and why. Takashi had been surprised to find Haruhi at the heart of it (he would have figured it to be the twins) and observed with avid interest as she took out a large sketchbook and began drawing in earnest. She was efficient, spending no more than an hour at most on each subject. Still, there was a certain cuteness in the way she would chew on the corner of her bottom lip when concentrating, and there was an endearing quality in the way she would put a pencil behind her ear, then forget was there while she searched frantically to find it.

He took the opportunity, once she had dozed off on the divan, to look at what she had done. What he found astounded him. The quality of her work was simply amazing, and these were only the rough sketches! Each sketch had a life-like feel, a sense of motion, even though it was obvious that the subjects were asleep. Truly fantastic. The self-portraits that she—

Motion on the other side of the room brought him out of his thoughts. Hmm, so she was going to wake up the others? And she was going for Kyoya first? Bold, smart, but incredibly dangerous. Should he help, should he just watch? Too late now, she was already at the shadow king's side!

"Kyoya-sempai," the young woman gently prodded his shoulder, "you need to wake up now. It's time for you to get Tamaki-sempai home. . .Kyoya-sempai!" The ever feared "Eye of the Devil" special technique was employed upon her, but consistent exposure to her father's own "Eyes of the Bloodthirsty Demon" had rendered her immune to such amateur tactics. "Kyoya-sempai, if you don't get up before the twins, they'll start taking incriminating photos of you two for blackmail, and then you'll get nowhere with Tamaki-sempai! Now wake up!!"

Haruhi had learned early on in life that when someone can't be woken up with kindness, a few idle, yet completely accurate, threats were the best way to go. Kyoya's eyes popped open; he glanced down to the source of the weight on his chest (and the erection on his thigh) then up to the freshman who was kindly setting their briefcases next to him. "It seems you are more perceptive than I have realized, Haruhi," he murmured as he fumbled to stand up, all the while taking care to ensure that the blond in his arms remained asleep.

"I'm sorry Kyoya-sempai, but I took the initiative of calling one of your drivers to come take you home. . .will you be taking Tamaki-sempai home as well?" At the slight nod, Haruhi grinned, passed off the cases to the dark-haired man, and wished them a safe journey home. She sighed happily once they were out of earshot, then turned around to face the twins. This one would be a piece of cake.

"Hikaru-kun, Kaoru-kun, would you take a look at this dress I'm wearing? It's a little tight around the chest. . ."

The twins were both up ready to see which of their mom's wonderful creations their little Haruhi-chan would actually wear only to find. . .! They'd been duped.

"That was unbelievably un-cute of you, Haruhi-chan!"

"It woke you guys up, didn't it? Call your limo, and I'll see you at school on Monday, alright? Unless, of course, you two want to wake up Hunny-sempai—!" The Hitachiin twins were out the door before she could even finish the senior's name. "Cowards. . .and then there were two," she sighed. Waking up Hunny-sempai would be bad, but would she be able to keep her Ouran renowned cool when waking Mori-sempai? Crap, crap, crappy crap, CRAP she was better than this! She could do it!

With new resolve, she whirled about and strode right into a warm, fleshy wall. _Good job, dummy. . .good job_. "Ah! Mori-sempai, you're awake! Good, one less person to wake up! Just let me wake Hunny-sempai, and we can all be on our way home!" _Ouran renowned cool my ass! I just hope he doesn't realize I'm nervous, or anything like that. Things could start to get tricky. Tch!_

"Should I go wake Mitsukuni?" Haruhi shook her head lightly, then asked if he would call for their ride. "Haruhi. Do you need a ride?"

"No, that's okay, I'll be fine," she threw a smile over her shoulder as she walked towards the sleeping senior, "but thank you, sempai; it's very kind of you to offer." Expertly and efficiently, she shook Hunny-sempai's shoulder, then waited for the glare to appear. When it did, she was ready and armed with a small piece of cake, of which she forced a forkful into his mouth before he could snap out at her irritably. She smiled at his surprise.

"Haru-chan, I'm still sleepy! Why'd you wake me up?" Haruhi smiled and held out Bun-bun for him to take.

"Because Bun-bun is sleepy too, but I think he wants to go home." Takashi was amazed. This was the first time he'd ever heard of someone being able to wake Mitsukuni (beside himself) without coming to any bodily harm. Not only that, but she was more than capable of handling the horrible temper of a freshly woken Kyoya. There truly was something unique about Haruhi.

"Oh! Okay, Haru-chan, that makes sense!"

"Car's here."

"Yay! C'mon Taka-chan! Bye Haru-chan, we'll see you on Monday!" With that, the incredibly cute seniors (yes, she considered Mori-sempai cute, but in a sexy let's-make-out way instead of a childish oh-I-just-want-to-hug-you way) left the third music room. A huge sigh of relief had her pulling out her cell phone to make one last call.

"Hey Ritsu-kun. . .can you pick me up from school?. . .No, I just wanted to do a few drawings for a client. . .can I stay the night too?. . .Yes?. . .Great, this way we can go to Umehito-sempai's together! Tell Tetsuya-kun I said hi, and I'll see you in a few. . .okay, see you then." Now she just had to change and wait. Shrugging into her regular stuff quickly, she chuckled a bit as she thought about the Kasonoda Ritsu.

Everyone had thought that she had been amazingly dense back then when Ritsu had tried to say that he liked her, and that was okay. She'd known, but she'd also seen the way that Tetsuya looked at the next boss of the Kasonoda gang. She'd known that, eventually, with a little poking and prodding, she could get Ritsu to see what she'd noticed about Tetsuya, and that was his absolute devotion to the fierce freshman. Now, they were a very happy couple, and there were a few more people who were no longer under the impression that Haruhi was a guy.

Getting her mind back on track, she did a quick mental scan on what she was wearing. Tight black jeans, layered light blue, green, and white tank tops, black ankle boots, and the motorcycle jacket that Ritsu-kun and Tetsuya-kun had given her for her birthday. It was a beautiful jacket, a blue so dark it was close to black, with a silver dragon on the back, and silver thorny vines spiraling down the arms. She hoped that Ritsu was bringing his bike because hot damn! That thing was so much fun!

As she walked out to the street in front of Ouran, she noticed two things, and missed a third. One, there were two bikes out front, Ritsu's and Tetsuya's. Two, the owners of said bikes were making out like crazy beneath a street lamp. "Hey perverts," she called, "be more careful! There are innocent young ladies that are waiting to go home out here!" They all three shared a good laugh once the two young men broke apart with a blush. They chatted happily as they meandered over to the bikes, where Haruhi got on behind Tetsuya. The three friends then proceeded to race off into the night.

What Haruhi happened to miss was the limo that was waiting in front of the school— the one that contained Hunny and Takashi. Both watched the interactions of the Host Club's only female member and the two mob candidates, Mori expressionlessly, and Hunny with all of the incredulity that Takashi held behind his eyes. "Ne, Takashi," Hunny said slowly, still attempting to think out what he was trying to say, "do you think that there's more to Haruhi than what's there?. . .I know that Tamaki and the twins have this idea that she could act really cute. . .but. . .I think that Haruhi might be more 'cool' than 'cute'."

"Hn."

"Should we tell Tamaki?"

". . .No. Everything will reveal itself with time."

And with that, the eldest members of the Host Club went home.

SS- No cliffhanger, just a straight-up ending. . .or is it? Who knows!

Athene- Anyhow, shout-outs go to **knifebladenails, TooSweet4Words, sveta89, Death by Squishy, jayanx, machigirl, MaileKitten,** and** mikomi bansiki** for reviewing.

Kali-Oh yeah! The Candy Corn sketch was good, we're totally with you on that, but you have to give props for the End of the Universe sketch.

SS- As always, reviews and constructive criticism are what encourage authors to provide more chapters. Flames and degradation, and overall ignorance, are what encourage authors to prove that yes, we do have hacker friends, and yes, we are willing to totally trash your system.


	4. Model

SS- Hey, people are actually getting into this! I can't believe it!

Kali- Well don't let it go to your head; you aren't special.

SS- :pouts: Bitch. Anywho, it's officially Spring Break!! That means I get some more time to work on the story, then go to the Happiest Place on Earth! Does anyone else think that Walt Disney should have been sainted?

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all affiliated characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, no matter how much I may wish otherwise. I do, however, own Nekozawa Susume and Nekozawa Alexandra. Any other random specific characters are my OCs.

WARNING: Um. . .not really anything drastic. Yet.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

"Dammit! Young boss, did you have to teach her to play poker so well?!"

"Seriously, she's cleaned us out of all of this weeks earnings!"

Haruhi laughed at these hardened yakuza underlings whining about her awesome ability at cards. "Just wait, next time I'll get you all good and drunk, and then I'll take you for the entire month's earnings!" It was early (and yes, she considered ten AM to be early) Sunday morning at the Kasonoda compound. She, Ritsu, and Tetsuya had been brought into a poker game as soon as she woke up, the men thinking that they'd have a distinct advantage over the woman's thought process after just waking up. It had taken all her willpower not to break down laughing and ruin everything right then and there.

While the men around her groaned, Haruhi gleefully swept up her winnings into a big pile, sitting out on the next hand to count it all. It looked like there was enough there to pay off that stupid debt, even though it didn't matter anymore. That whole debacle with Lady Éclair (and who is cruel or vapid enough to name their child after a pastry?) had cleared out her thousandth designation. _Bye-bye stupid broken vase, bye-bye evil Kyoya holding things over my head, hello future college tuition!!_

"Come on, Haruhi, we have to get to Umehito-sempai's place soon. Stop embarrassing the underlings and let's go!!"

"Alright, Tetsuya-kun, but only if I get to kiss one of these poor guys first!" Suddenly, the area around Haruhi was packed with men, each clamoring to be picked for a kiss. She turned in a circle, studying her choices while Ritsu and his boyfriend tried not to laugh to hard. It had actually become a sort of ritual for her to kiss one of the men before leaving the Kasonoda home. Haruhi's eyes lit up when she noticed someone that hadn't been kissed by her yet. He was an older guy, early fifties perhaps, with sleeves (SS- tattoos that cover the entire arm) and a shaved head. She sauntered over, and planted one right on his crown. "Goodbye guys!"

"Goodbye Haruhi-sama! Have a pleasant day!" Somehow, crazily, these men had become totally devoted not only to their boss and his lover, but to Haruhi as well. Insane, that a mere slip of a girl could have the entire Kasonoda gang wrapped around her little finger, isn't it?

The ride to the Nekozawa compound was uneventful for the most part. One of those damn chimps had escaped from the zoo again, making anyplace that Haruhi tried to walk a target for banana peels. _Damn bastard chimps. How the hell do they keep breaking out?_ "Face it, Fujioka," Ritsu snickered as they walked up to Umehito's door, "you're cursed. They always go right for you, without fail."

"I've noticed that Bossa Nova. . ." The two men on either side of her laughed at the sour way she said his old nickname. She pouted at first, but joined in the laughter nonetheless.

It's one of the few things about her that the twins and Tamaki would consider cute, if they were to ever see it.

It was one of those overcast days, just enough clouds to chill the air and darken the sky, but not enough to actually threaten rain. Perfect, because that meant that Umehito wouldn't bother with his robes or wig, just Berezenoff.

The head maid invited them all in, and Haruhi was bowled over by a tiny blonde blur. "Haru-nee-chan's here! Haru-nee-chan's here!" Kirimi chanted. "Are you here for my birthday, Haru- nee-chan?" The little girl gazed up adoringly at her favorite 'big sister', making Haruhi smile back. Umehito came down, black shirt and pants to befit a dreary day, his little cat puppet on one hand and a large rectangular gift in the other.

"Of course she is. Berezenoff did such a clever job of hiding her present for you, even I couldn't find it!" the president of the Black Magic Club chuckled. Haruhi rolled her eyes at him and smirked; what he had actually said was that he forgot where he'd hidden the damned thing and just now remembered where it was. The muted sound of footsteps behind them made the female host look up. Two of the most gorgeous people she'd ever seen (excluding the Host Club— they were in their own "special" category now) were standing on the stairwell, affectionately observing the goings-on of their household.

"Welcome. You must be the friends that Umehito's always raving about." Alexandra Nekozawa, the Russian ambassador to Japan, had one of the most melodic voices that Haruhi had ever been honored to hear, one that was as light and clear as a flute with the faintest trace of an accent. Her golden hair was pulled up in an elegant quaff, and her eyes were bluer than the water of a lagoon; her face was so kind, so maternal.

It had been quite some time since anybody had ever looked at her that way.

"Ah, it's very nice to meet you, Madame, Nekozawa-sama," Haruhi bowed, grinning slightly. Following her lead, Ritsu and Tetsuya smiled and bowed deeply to prove their respect for their elders. Susume Nekozawa, smiled kindly in return. A respected and well-liked cellist, he had a firm grip, and a deep voice that resembled his instrument.

"And you as well, young lady. It's a delight to finally meet the person who helped our little girl conquer her fear. Please, no need to be so formal; we're all family here." Haruhi stared at the two gorgeous parents before her in shock for a moment, then smiled a content little smile after a beat.

Family. It was the one word that, when spoken by the right people, had the ability to turn her into a warm puddle of joy inside her heart. She knew that Tamaki considered the Host Club to be a family unit, but it really, truly, just wasn't. They were all close friends, and certainly they all cared deeply for one another, but one couldn't consider them a family, not in the traditional sense, or any other on that thought. But these people here. . .

This could be considered a family.

SS- Aww, ain't that sweet? I brought in the Nekozawa's, and they're okay, aren't they? Really nice folk, just like their kids.

Athene- We know that some people might disagree about the Host Club as a family unit, but we just can't see it like that. I mean, sure, it works in Tamaki's mind, but we know he isn't the sanest **_cat_** around. He reflects the Host Club into the stability and affection he needed whilst growing up.

Kali- And as a random fact about the authoress, she adores tattoos, so she'll add them into stories whenever she can.

SS- Yup. I wanna crescent moon with an arrow beside it one to celebrate my love for Sesshoumaru/Kagome pairings, and a katana with a rose for my wondrous Mori/Haru pairings. . .:gazes out dreamily into the distance:

Athene- She'll be okay after awhile. In the meantime, many thanks mucho gracias, merci beaucoup, and domo arigatou gozaimasu to **Death By Squishy, sakura5584, knifebladenails, DarkFallMoonBeloved, and -Mira Slytherin-** for their wonderful reviews.

SS- And remember chil'run: reviews make the authoress happy and willing to post more. Flames just get used to torch my school.


	5. Form

SS- Ugh. I'm back from Disneyland; not sure that I wanna be here, but what can you do?

Athene- If you were still there, you wouldn't be posting this.

SS- Oh yeah. . . I took the laptop to the hotel we were staying at, and here's what happened: my sister takes laptop to the lobby, 'cause that's the only place with free wi-fi, only to find out that it's not working for her. I, being Ms. Computer-Genius-Whilst-My-Father-Is-At-Sea, am forced to spend half an hour trying to fix it. Then my mom comes down because she wants to use it, and my sister leaves. We get it working, mom does her thing, I read one email and try to post this chapter, only to have said sister show up close my stuff down unsaved because she's in a pissy mood. And now, the main computer that my family uses has crashed, taking my iTunes library and my other files with it, so I've been sharing this laptop with everyone, which I normally don't do, so I'm pissed again, especially because the brat is now 'sick'.

Kali-. . .Feel better?

SS- No. . .Yes. smiles Sorry about the rant. Let's start the show!

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all affiliated characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, and Inuyasha and all affiliated characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sama, no matter how much I may wish otherwise.

WARNING: Um. . .not really anything drastic. Yet.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

"Haruhi! How come you weren't home yesterday?" the twins demanded to know in unison.

"We went by your place yesterday—"

"—But nobody was there!"

It was once again Monday with the Host Club, and Haruhi was once again greeted with unnecessary and unwarranted theatrics from the twins. Oh well, it wasn't like Tamaki was out here ranting like the lunatic that he was.

"Haru-chan! Oh, my poor daughter, you had Daddy worried sick! Where were you, why didn't you call?! I thought you were kidnapped and held hostage, like that time you went to Karuizawa without telling any of us, and I—"

What was that saying? Speak of the devil and he doth appear? Even thinking about people was dangerous in this place!

"Tamaki-sempai, breathe. Dad had to go away on business for a few days, so I spent the night at a friend's house on Saturday, and then I went to a birthday party on Sunday. You guys overreact way too much," she informed the three calmly. Everything she had said was perfectly true. To a degree.

"Oh."

"Haru-chan, Haru-chan! Did you have lots of fun, and eat lots of cake?" Hunny asked innocently, his eyes beaming up at her.

"I did, and," at this point she rummaged through her bag for the extra box she had brought with her, "I brought a piece for you!" Hunny's obscenely large eyes got larger still and shimmered a bit.

"Yay! Thank you! Look, Takashi, Haruhi brought some cake just for me!" Mori nodded, then glanced at the girl who was looking on at the shorter man fondly.

"Haruhi." The female host looked up at him, startled at his attention, a pale flush staining the bridge of her nose. A crooked smile crossed his face.

"Yes, Mori-sempai?" _Dammit, why in all the seven circles of hell do I have to keep blushing when he says my name? At least it's not too dark, Tamaki-sempai might start getting ideas, unless Kyoya-sempai has finally decided to act._

"Would you speak with me, once we're done for the day?" He had more to say? That had sounded like his weeks' worth of words right there. What could he possibly have to say to _**her**_? _And do I need to look anymore like a damnable loon? It's not that surprising. . .okay, it is, but still!_ This was sure to garner unnecessary attention. And, oh look!— it seemed as if Hurricane 'Daddy Tamaki' was about to hit in three. . .two. . .one. . .

"WHAT?! HARUHI, TELL DADDY IT'S NOT TRUE!!!" _Right on the money._

"First off," Haruhi stated bluntly, "you're not my daddy. You want to play house, play with Kyoya-sempai. Second of all, tell you what's not true? Mori-sempai just asked me to talk with him, he wasn't asking me to marry him, wasn't asking my to go on a date with him."

"I was going to ask if you would like to go to dinner with me tomorrow evening."

"See Tamaki-sempai? He was just going to ask me to go to din. . .wait, what?" the full impact of Mori's words finally hit home. Another delicate little flush once more stained her cheeks. "Dinner? Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Um, okay then. Yes, I will."

Tamaki and Hikaru looked on, mouths agape, with tear-filled eyes as resonating shrieks of despair echoed through their souls; Kyoya quirked an eyebrow before making a note in his event-planner; the customers screamed with delight as their little fangirl hearts went into overdrive at the new yaoi factor of the club; Hunny sat eating his cake and feeling pleased by his cousin's actions, and Kaoru?

Kaoru sat by himself on the couch watching the drama unfold, feeling happy for his best friend, having long ago figured out that Haruhi's interest had laid neither in the king, nor his brother, but in the taciturn senior. It was just too bad that Hikaru had been too self-absorbed in his own feelings and teasing the king all the time. After all, a good host is ever vigilant towards the emotion of young ladies.

Kyoya finally decided to put everybody out of there misery. "Ladies, as wonderful as you all feel about this right now, I believe it's best that we close early. As gentlemen, we—"

"Fujioka over there is no gentlemen," a new, and completely unexpected voice drawled from by the door. Haruhi's head whipped around in shock to meet the mischievous grey eyes, braided black hair, and slight form in the boys' uniform that went with it. "Haru _**works**_ for a livin'!" Haruhi cried out in joy, running over to embrace the visitor.

"Higurashi Kagome! What are you doing here?!" the female host laughed, hugging the newbie hard.

SS- Wow. That seemed really short to me. I dunno, it just looked like the best ending place. I kinda feel bad now.

Kali- So make the next one longer!. . .Goddess, I swear that's all you ever do, bith and moan!

SS- Whatever. Heads up y'all, I have a day and a half of semi-freedom before I have to go back to Hell, formerly known as Point Loma High. I'll try to post Chapter 6 soon. Also, does anyone know where the word 'angiosperm' came from? No, I'm totally serious, I really wanna know.

Athene-. . .Right. Okay, thanks and mega-props to **DarkFallMoonBeloved, Death by Squishy, TooSweet4Words, tears-of-redemption, Lindsay-chan, Tenshi's-Wings, **and **sakura5584** for their nifty reviews.

SS- Yup yup. And remember people: if you don't like something, you don't have to read it. Really. So please, review me and tell me what you think.


	6. Light

SS- Hey y'all. 'M really tired right now, so no notes, sorry.

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all affiliated characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, and Inuyasha and all affiliated characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sama, no matter how much I may wish otherwise.

WARNING: Um. . .not really anything drastic. Yet.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

Kagome scoffed, slapping her friend on the shoulder. "Oh, real nice, I don't see you for five years, and this is the greeting I get? Don't I feel loved now!" Haruhi smacked the flippant girl on the back of her head. "Ouch! Uncalled for much? Anyways, remember how Mom moved me and Souta out to Gramps's shrine when Dad died? Well, Gramps died a month or two back— the crazy old man left me the shrine in his will, can you believe that? Anyhow, Mom decided that she needed to move back out to the city, so I got transferred here on a special recommendation scholarship."

While the two were chatting, a few things went unnoticed by them. One, the customers had all left the room; two, the Host Club was staring at them in growing confusion and frustration, and three, most of the Host Club (in this case, Mori was the exception, being the first to realize instead of second-to-last) was once again under the mistaken belief that the newcomer was a guy. Oops! It finally got to be too much for the twins' curiosity.

"Ne, Haruhi-chan, what gives?" the diabolic duo enquired. "This new guy shows up, and you just ignore us?" Haruhi smiled at them before rolling her eyes over towards Kagome. The other girl giggled.

"Sorry, sorry! I'm Higurashi Kagome, class 1-A. I just moved back to the area today, so I came to check out the school. Me and Haruhi are good friends, and when I found out she was in this club, I just had to come by and see her! It's been so long, for both of us to have been without each other," Kagome admitted. "We grew up right next door to each other, been best friends for as long as either of our parents can remember."

"After Mom died, I was always hanging around Kagome's mom, literally hanging off of her apron strings," Haruhi continued fondly, "and Dad didn't mind, because then I wasn't alone when he had to work late. She was the one who taught me how to make Mom's recipe's, never got angry at us. Hey, come over here." She pushed her friend over to a nearby couch.

"Why?"

"Because I wanna do your hair."

"Why?"

"Because it's nice and long and pretty."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Good point," Kagome nodded sagely, turning so that her back was to her best friend.

Hunny bounced up to them, Mori following with a small tea set. "Haru-chan, Gome-kun! Would you like to have some tea with us?" Kagome, looking a bit perturbed, pointed to herself.

"Gome. . .kun?" Hunny nodded brightly, one of his trademark grins plastered to his face. Kagome pointed to Haruhi next.

"Haru. . .chan?" Another nod. Haruhi, seeing what this would lead up, indulged in a fit of silliness that she ordinarily wouldn't show in front of the boys. She took Kagome's wrist in her hand, and swung the finger to each of the members in turn.

"Tamaki-sempai; Kyoya-sempai; Hikaru-kun; Kaoru-kun; Hunny-sempai; Mori-sempai." Kagome twisted her body around to grin at the short-haired girl. Haruhi grinned back.

"Good. Now that my dim-witted friend was smart enough to introduce us all," she blithely ignored the playful smack she received, "I would love to have tea with you and Mori-sempai, Hunny-sempai!"

"NOW JUST WAIT A SECOND!" Tamaki shouted, "JUST WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO COME IN HERE, INSULT MY DAUGHTER, AND PRY HER ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE DATE WITH MORI-SEMPAI THAT SHE WON'T GO ON?!?!" Kagome gave a slow blink, taking in the fact that his chest was heaving from the exertion and his face was red with effort, and reacted accordingly.

"One, I know her father, and, similar though you might be, you aren't her father," she said simply. "Two, I've known her for fifteen years, I'm her _**best friend**_; I have seniority in this. Three, I do believe that she accepted the man's invitation for a date, so, whether you like it or not, I don't care, she will go on a date tomorrow, and you have no say in the matter." Kaoru and Hikaru watched in awe as she sent the King through every stage of grief known to them so far, bypassing the fungus growth stage, and skipping straight to the supernova of his soul!

Simply superb, this Higurashi Kagome was. And then, two little light-bulbs light up somewhere, and the demon twins finally remembered something. They'd heard their mom speak of a young woman named Kagome before. . .

"Now, Mori-sempai," Kagome had continued on, refocusing her attentions on the taller

of the two seniors, "can I assume that this will be the first date you've gone on with Haruhi?"

"Um, Mori-sempai," Haruhi murmured, her fingers carding through Kagome's hair, "just what exactly should I be wearing?" She looked up at him through her bangs, a move she had unconsciously used whenever she was nervous, and was a bit startled to find that he had been intently focused on their interactions. Unnerved once again by being the sole focus of that penetrating gaze, she began twining her fingers uselessly through the thick black hair, until an exasperated Kagome finally pressed a brush backwards.

"Whatever you feel most comfortable in," he declared finally, thinking back to the outfit he'd seen her wearing on Saturday night. Haruhi paused in her ministrations, raising her eyebrows in a gesture of surprise.

"You sure?"

"Mm."

"Hey, hey, Kagome," Hikaru looked up at the ceiling innocently, "why do you wear the boy's uniform?" The room froze for a moment. Tamaki looked up, frowning.

"What other uniform would he wear?" The group sweat-dropped simultaneously at the sheer thickheadedness.

"There are days when I truly do despair of you, Tamaki," Kyoya sighed. "Do you really mean to tell me that you can't tell?" The blond cocked his head.

Kaoru chimed in, "Milord took an entire week before he knew about Haruhi, do you really think that he'd get it in only a few hours?"

"You've got no room to talk," Haruhi retorted. "It took you guys four days to figure out that I was a girl!" Tamaki frowned, looking around the room before his eyes landed on a smiling Kagome. Smiling. . .color rushed to his face, turning Tamaki into a ripe tomato as the meaning of their words finally reached him.

"WHY DO YOU DRESS LIKE MEN?!?!?!"

Kagome tossed her head back with a great roar of laughter. Haruhi giggled, burying her head into the shoulder before her and wrapping her arms around her friend's waist to try and still the motion, inadvertently tickling Kagome. Mori smiled indulgently at them, knowing in a way that Tamaki hadn't that there was nothing to feel threatened by in their actions.

As the laughter dwindled, Kagome decided to answer. "It's nice and comfy," she offered, "and I would rather wear comfortable clothes than suffocate in that hideous yellow contraption! So the next question is this: why would you dress up in gowns, hmm? Do you find them. . .comforting?" Her voice was just this side of innocent, her eyes glittering with mischief. Tamaki spluttered, trying and failing to form a coherent thought.

"As interesting as that theory is, there is something that I've been wondering about," Kyoya deftly redirected the topic. "Are you related in any way to the fabled priestess Kagome of the Shikon no Tama?" A pause took over the room as the guys all shared significant startled visages. Kagome smirked at him.

"You guys really are young," she remarked, not unkindly. "Why don't you take down the magic that's suppressing your auras, and let me see your real forms, hmm? Then we can talk." Even the ever cool Kyoya was shocked enough by her proclamation to allow his jaw to go slack.

Kali- No, we're seriously tired. SS has been testing for the CA Standards test for the last few days, and then the SAT is this Saturday. Wish her luck.

Athene- Many thanks to** GabbyKat13, Death by Squishy, preciousteddybear, sveta89, KuroxTenshi, Lindsay-chan, **and special thanks to **Slavaskia** for knowing where the word angiosperm comes from.

Kali- Flames will be used to torture the stupid French teacher who has no notion of A) fun and B) the right way to grade.


	7. Details

SS- O.o Wow. I can't believe that the school year is almost over— or that I'm moving back to Virginia!

Kali- Uh, didn't we just _leave_ Virginia?

SS- Yeah, but, that's the military for ya. Besides. . .do you really care?

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all affiliated characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, and Inuyasha and all affiliated characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sama, no matter how much I may wish otherwise.

WARNING: Um. . .not really anything drastic. Yet.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

Mori was the first to comply. Twisting a ring off his right thumb, he allowed his demonic aura to come to full strength and embraced the changes. Not much changed, however, because his aura was strong enough to leak through the magic. The tips of his ears pointed slightly, a red sun appeared on his forehead, and, oh yes, a thick, silky black tail had wrapped around his waist.

Hunny followed suit, doing the same as his cousin had, only his changes were slightly more drastic. He became taller, just as tall as Haruhi; both his eyes and hair darkened, his hair to black and his eyes to a deep blue; his ears pointed, and a tail similar to Mori's draped across his knees. Haruhi's eyes flicked to his forehead, and nodded with approval and understanding when nothing appeared.

"So that's how you two work," she murmured. "That makes so much sense. Mori-sempai pretends to be subservient to Hunny-sempai to protect his status as heir to the Lord of the East. Hunny-sempai's family weren't the lords, they were the servants. . .hmph!" Nodding to herself, she started pulling gently at the snarls in Kagome's hair, completely missing the impressed gleam in Mori's eye.

The next to comply with Kagome's request were the twins. Twisting their rings off with a mystified shrug at Haruhi's knowledge, they allowed themselves to be seen for what they really were. The irises of their golden eyes transformed into a sky blue color, and thick auburn wolf tails flicked through the air behind them. As with the two before them, their ears pointed at the tips. A pale white snowflake appeared on their foreheads.

"Heirs to the Lady of the North," Kagome purred as Haruhi massaged her head. "Oh, that feels really good."

"Thanks. Self-practice is key at this point, and between Dad and the bozos, I get a lot of practice."

"Who's a bozo, Haru-chan?" Hunny's voice was just slightly deeper as well. She smiled at him.

"Tamaki-sempai, mainly," she admitted, "but sometimes Hikaru is as well."

"Hey! What about Kaoru?!"

"He's less of a bozo than either of you. Still a bozo, but less of one"

Kyoya rolled his eyes and ignored whatever the response was. He pulled his ring off; his ears pointed, his eyes took on the hue of a bloody garnet, and his hair took a dark blue sheen but those were the only outward sign of his change. Kagome pressed her lips into a little moue of confusion. She crooked her index finger at him in the universal sign for 'come here', then pulled his tie so that her face was pressed into his neck. Tamaki bristled visibly at her actions, but she just inhaled the shadow king's scent. "Nothing. . .no scent at all— wait, wind. . .you're a wind demon, aren't you?" He nodded, and she released him. "It surprises me that you aren't more passionate, considering who your mother has to be, but maybe you take after your aunt Kanna more. Strange, but what can you do? That leaves us with Tamaki-sempai."

Looking slightly uncertain, the Host Club king removed his ring. His previously round, human-like ears disappeared, only to emerge as cat ears on the top of his head. His violet eyes turned green-grey with yellow specks, with slitted pupils identical to a leopards' eyes; blond hair lengthened until it brushed the tops of his thighs. All six men had delicately pointed canines and long, sharp fingernails. Kagome took in Tamaki's appearance with a smile. "Cute ears; they remind me of an old friend. Can I feel them?" Stunned, the blond went over on autopilot. At the first gentle touch of her fingers, he began to purr.

Kyoya, who hadn't realized that Tamaki was a half-demon filed away his reactions for another time and place.

"Haruhi, why don't you seem surprised to know that we're demons?" asked Kaoru. "And how do either of you know about status among us?"

Kagome stopped her friendly caresses with a smirk. "Gramps was a priest; before I moved away, we used to visit him, and he would tell us stories about demons. Add in the fact that I remember your mom— I really only met her a few times, and she was young back then —is just an added benefit. I'm not related to the priestess; I _**am**_ the priestess of the Shikon no Tama.

"Because I can predict what you're going to say next, let me explain: there is a well at my shrine, called the Bone Eater's Well. I discovered a few months back that it acted as a time portal, taking me back five hundred years. Long story short, the tama broke, an evil half-demon tried to collect and corrupt the pieces to control Japan, my friends and I killed him, I made an unselfish wish on the tama, came home, and have been unable to return ever since."

"That explains a great deal," Kyoya remarked, "but not about Haruhi."

She passed the brush forward to Kagome. "I've known that this was a school for demons when I first came to check it out," she replied easily. "The fact that everyone except for Kasonoda-kun wear the same rings whenever they're in public, or I'm around, is more than slightly suspicious. But that's not how I knew you were demons.

"Human's have distinctive auras," Haruhi clarified, "one that's marked with the faintest tinge of death that depends on individual factors, but still similar. Demonic aura's are more individual because there are so many different kinds of demons; not ethnic background, per se, although that factors in a little, but different species. The difference, or similarities, in certain species present themselves through the aura.

"Demon's also have a faint tinge of death in their auras. Fainter than humans, almost nonexistent because they can't be killed by age. Disease, poison, fatal wounds, yes, but not age. The tinge is still there, though. Of everybody here, only Ritsu-kun and Mori-sempai have an aura, and I believe that Tamaki-sempai's aura plays off of his human half. Oh yeah," she held up a finger, "and you guys don't use your own powers to suppress your aura's like your parents do. Those rings have bits of Suoh-sama's power."

SS- Weird place to end, yeah, I know. Just couldn't find a better one. :shrugs:

Athene- Thanks very much to **preciousteddybear, sveta89, bunnykitune, Born-Of-Elven-Blood, GabbyKat13, Lindsay-chan, Captaincarnival, princesseilowyn, Natsumi Tsuchi-Ookami, **and **Dragon of Blood** for your wonderful reviews. They made our hearts go pitty-pat with glee.

Kali- In response to **Born-Of-Elven-Blood**'s review, we're operating under the idea that she matured a bit after her time in the feudal era, and saw how impractical those stupid things were. (Plus, the short skirts are just part of an international manga conspiracy to pick up male readers with the slight hope of catchin' some panties.) Oh, and don't worry about Haruhi. . .there's a reason why she is the way she is, and it'll come up soon enough.

SS- Two more days until my first set of finals, then four more days until graduation. After that, it's a week until we start packing up. With any luck, I should be able to pump out another chapter or two.

Kali- Constructive criticism is appreciated— it keeps SS humble and thinking.

Athene- Flames will be used to light the glorious bonfire that will be all of the school papers from this year.


	8. Altering the Background

SS- Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there was a—

Kali- Mango! Mango! Mango, mango! Mango! Mango-oh-oh!

SS- Oo Wow. . .

Disclaimer: Ouran High School Host Club and all affiliated characters belong to Bisco Hatori-shishou, and Inuyasha and all affiliated characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi-sama, no matter how much I may wish otherwise.

WARNING: Excessive sap, and spoilers for the Inuyasha storyline.

Rating: M

Title: Portrait of Takashi

Mori rose from his place, his gait regal and flowing as he came to stand in front of the girls. "You knew what I am," he stated, "and you still wished to go to dinner with me."

Haruhi craned her neck, looking up at him speculatively. Finally, she stood with a smile. "I know _**who**_ you are. _**What**_ you are is insignificant to me. . .Mo—"

"Takashi."

"Takashi-se—"

"_**Takashi**_." A blush crossed the bridge of her nose as she picked up on the special emphasis.

"Ta. . .Takashi. . .would you like to come over for. . .for dinner? Tonight?" Her eyes grew wide when she realized exactly what she had said. "I mean, you don't have to, we're going out tomorrow after all, but I just thought that—"

"Haruhi." She stopped babbling. "I'd like that." Kagome stood up, smiling wistfully.

"Let's go home, together," she suggested. "Hunny-sempai, do you mind if we steal Mori-sempai for the night?" The senior shook his head.

"Just have him home by midnight, or else," he joked. Sliding the ring back onto his thumb, he accepted the childlike facade with a sigh. "I'll tell you, though, it's really nice that we don't have to try and hide from Haru-chan anymore. Made me feel guilty, having to pretend like that. I'll see you at home, Takashi."

And so, they each slipped into their illusions, once more disguising themselves for the sake of general humanity. The twins left, threatening improbable bodily harm if anything happened to Haruhi. Kyoya walked out, calling back that he would wait outside to give Tamaki a ride. And there stood Tamaki, the poor thing looking back and forth between Kagome and Haruhi uncertainly, his golden ears twitching with his distress. "So. . .you don't hate me? For being. . .dirty?"

Understanding dawned on Haruhi. "That's the real reason why your grandmother dislikes you, isn't it? Because you aren't a full demon?" He didn't answer, merely pressed his lips together to stay the trembling.

Kagome laid a palm on his face, eyes darkening in sympathy at the way he flinched. "Tamaki-sempai," she began hoarsely, ". . .I had a friend, five hundred years ago, who was a half-demon, a dog half-demon called Inuyasha. His parents died when he was young, and his only brother thought he was absolutely worthless for the longest time, centuries, if I'm going to be truthful. Inuyasha basically raised himself, away from civilization because neither side would take him. Humans feared his demonic strength, while demons despised the human blood that coursed through his veins.

"By the time I met Inuyasha, he was under the firm belief that eventually, everyone would betray him. His half-brother had, his former lover had, everybody he had cared about had either tried to kill him, or had left him. It took my friends and I months to convince him that we wouldn't hurt him.

"He eventually gained respect from both the humans he rescued and the demons he fought, but respect was easier to gain five hundred years ago. Five hundred years ago, respect was based on strength, and Inuyasha was one of the strongest, second only to his brother. Nowadays, it's harder, because strength isn't what makes your place in the world; money is. The ones with the most money get the greatest respect. That's why the families of the four regions are still in control today, I suppose. . .at least, I think Sesshoumaru-sama still controls the West. He was too stubborn to let anything kill him when I last saw him!"

Tamaki and Takashi both jerked at Sesshoumaru's name. "Taisho-sensei?" Tamaki gasped. "He's the Lord of the West? But he's the volunteer 'business and politics' teacher, he comes every other day!" Kagome appeared shocked.

"Was he here today?" Her voice was low, and her bangs shadowed her eyes. When the cat half-demon nodded, she continued. "Is he here still? When does he leave? Please, I need to know!" Kagome looked up, and her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. Her voice had cracked with the effort of keeping them from spilling over. She had to find him, had to know what happened to them, to. . .

"Keh. Stupid wench, why would you want to talk to that bastard?" The rude, not quite abrasive tone was as familiar to Kagome as her own voice. She turned slowly, hesitating in case it was just her imagination. But that long silver hair, those molten gold eyes, the furry white ears. . .it was really him. An older version, with a mature appearance, but it was definitely him. It was truly Inuyasha. She flew at him with a sob and, like he always had, he caught her.

"Kagome, hey, hey, it's okay. I'm okay. See," he pulled back briefly to meet her eyes, "I'm okay. I'm nine hundred years old and still going strong."

"Technically, dear little brother, you are eight hundred and fifty. years old; those fifty years you spent pinned to a tree. . .shall we say, stunted your growth?" Kagome looked over Inuyasha's shoulder to find the majestic Sesshoumaru leaning against the doorway. He sauntered over, stopping just behind his half-brother to smile at both of them. "Hello, Kagome. It's good to see you again."

Kagome smiled back. "Hello, Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm not going to get killed, am I?"

"Why would I murder you?"

"I'm touching Inuyasha," she explained. The Lord of the West nodded gravely, but his eyes held a mirth that hadn't been present five hundred years past. Tamaki took this all in silently, nodding as he tried to make sure his brain didn't short-circuit under the information influx.

"Tamaki." Once again, Kyoya proved to be his saving grace! "I've informed Shima-san that you'll be coming home with me. It was a pleasure to meet you, Kagome-chan. Haruhi, Mori-sempai, we'll see you tomorrow after classes?"

"Of course, Kyoya-sempai. Good night!"

". . ."

"Good night, Haruhi. Taisho-sensei, Inuyasha-kun, we'll see you tomorrow." With that, he clasped Tamaki's hand, dragging the taller man off into the night. Haruhi eyed their retreating figures critically.

"Kagome, how much would you bet that Tamaki-sempai shows up limping tomorrow?" Kagome screwed up her face in mock concentration.

"Two hundred yen says no limp, but extremely calm and satisfied." The remaining men raised their eyebrows, but Sesshoumaru smirked at the confidence they displayed.

"Is that so? Five hundred says limping, and even more exuberance than the norm." Inuyasha scoffed.

"As crazy and fascinating as your interest in my classmates' sex life is, Kagome and chick-that-I've-heard-about-but-whose-name-I-always-seem-to-forget, you look like crap. You haven't been sleeping, have you," he accused gruffly. "You look like you did when you had to study for your tests, and you pulled three all-nighters in a row so that you could ace it."

"I sleep," she claimed defensively. "I do! I just. . .don't do it often. 'S not that big a deal, I get a full eight hours."

"A night or a week?" This was the point that Sesshoumaru cut in to the conversation.

"You are the Eastern Lord's heir, correct?"

"Yes, Taisho-sensei."

"And you are the other scholarship student, Fujioka Haruhi, are you not?"

"I am."

"Then you shall both join us tonight for dinner," he declared with decided finality. Inuyasha tilted his head up to meet golden eyes identical to his own. "Okay with you?" Inuyasha shrugged.

"Sure, they're Kagome's friends after all."

SS- Aww, the touching reunion scene. . .it's so cute! But what's up between Sess an Inu? And why has Mori said more in this one chapter than he's said throughout the entire manga series so far? (Sorry folks, I've only read up to Book 7. . ..;)

Kali- Who the hell knows? Not us for sure. We don't know anything!

Athene- _I_ know something; can't say what, but I will tell you who all we're thanking for their reviews of chapter 7. Special thanks goes out to **Natsumi Tsuchi-Ookami** for being the 50th reviewer we've had so far— we're cool enough to have fifty-plus reviews! More thanks goes out to** Princessstphanie, Hoku ala, Lindsay-chan, GabbyKat13, ikawitch, preciousteddybear, MuppyPuppy, **and **KuroxTenshi**.

Kali- You're all so great, and the reviews make us so happy. Bonus thanks goes out to all those who added us to their Story Alert/Author Alert etc list. You honestly have no idea how happy that made SS, and trust me, she needed it. And once again, reviews/ constructive criticism is welcome, flames will be used to burn an effigy of the latest French teacher, Coe the ho.

SS- Seriously. Okay, I'm really sorry you guys, but this is going to be the last chapter for a long time. My computer gets packed up tomorrow, and we leave town on Saturday. Hopefully I'll be able to post by mid-July, when we get to Virginia. I love you all, so y'all behave now y'hear? I don't want to send Sesshoumaru-tono out after you guys!


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